Russian Navy to get over 50 warships by 2016

Moscow: The Russian Navy will get over 50 new warships by 2016, including strategic nuclear submarines and special operations support vessels, the Defence Ministry said on Thursday.

According to the Defence Ministry, Russia is currently in the middle of a huge re-armament programme, with USD 659 billion to be spent on arms procurement by 2020.

"By 2016, the combat strength of the Navy will be replenished with 18 surface warships of various ranks and designation, and also 30 special-purpose and counter-subversion vessels," the ministry said in a statement.

"It is also planned to put six multi-purpose and strategic submarines into operation."

The quality of new generations of surface warships and submarines being built for the Russian Navy will improve with stronger state acceptance control at the shipyards involved in the Navy`s shipbuilding programme, it said.

The Russian Defence Ministry announced on Wednesday unprecedented naval drills in the Mediterranean and Black Seas in late January with the involvement of warships from the Northern, Baltic, Black Sea and Pacific Fleets.

"The Russian Navy`s drills of this scope will be held for the first time over the past few decades and are designed to improve control, ensure and practice multi-service force interaction of the fleets in the far-off maritime zones," the ministry stated.